What: Effective January 1, 2019, Alerus Retirement and Benefits (MERS' partner for recordkeeping services) will be the new claims administrator for the Health Care Savings Program (HCSP).
Action Required: No
Key Dates: See below
Impacted Audiences: Terminated employees with a MERS Health Care Savings Program account balance
For More Information: MERS Service Center – 800.767.MERS (6377)
Key Information:
Effective January 1, 2019, Alerus Retirement and Benefits (MERS’ partner for recordkeeping services) will be the new claims administrator for the Health Care Savings Program (HCSP). Terminated employees who have an HCSP account balance will see the following changes and enhancements:
- All newly eligible participants will receive a debit card automatically going forward; cards will no longer be provided by request only.
- Existing mySourceCard® debit cards will become inactive on December 14, 2018. Participants will be asked to destroy their card after this date.
- Any HCSP claims submitted between December 22 and December 31 will be processed after January 1, 2019.
- All eligible participants will receive a new debit card in the mail around January 1, 2019.
- Beginning January 1, 2019, all claims should be submitted to Alerus, including claims for services that took place before this time, unless they have already been reimbursed. Participants will receive communication from MERS regarding how to do this.
- Claims will be paid on a daily basis. Following this transition date, submission deadline is 1:00 p.m. Eastern time each day for requests to be processed the following business day. Claims received after that time will be included with the following day’s processing.
- Participants will have an improved online user experience including access to a mobile app where they can file a claim, manage expenses and view their account information.
- Terminated participants will also have a transfer of $1,000 into the Alerus Money Market Fund. This ensures that there is sufficient funds to process reimbursements. No additional assets will transfer into this fund and the overall account balance will always be reported to them as a total, including this allocated amount. Assets in their account are paid out in the form of reimbursements until their account reaches zero. Assets over the $1,000 are available for individual investment allocation at any time. Any account with a termination date on or after January 1, 2019 will see the same $1,000 transfer following the change in their employment status.
Key Date(s): For a timeline of key dates relating to this enhancement, click here.
Resources available: MERS Health Care Savings Program Claims Management Portal and Reimbursement Guide (coming soon)